Pancake Day: Nottingham's best recipes and a record breaking attempt

Frying pans at the ready, Shrove Tuesday is just around the corner. LYNETTE PINCHESS finds out how to make the perfect pancake – plus Nottingham’s annual pancake race and attempts to create a world record for the a tallest stack

FROM plain and simple lemon and sugar to a full English, anything goes when it comes to pancakes.

They’re versatile, comforting, quick to rustle up and, so long as they’re not smothered in chocolate, reasonably healthy.

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Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and a little of the milk and gradually blend in the flour. Whisk together the remaining milk, water and oil and sift into the flour mixture. Stand for 30 minutes.

Heat the frying pan. Brush with a little oil and pour in batter. Roll around the pan until it covers well. Cook for one minute and flip to cook the second side until golden.

It should be foolproof but to avoid pancake pifalls we asked Meg Hale, owner of Aubrey’s Traditional Creperie in Nottingham, for her top tips.

“Make sure the consistency of the batter is nice, smooth and even. Let it rest. If using a frying pan make sure the heat is evenly distributed and get it to a high temperature before you put the batter in,” she said.

Meg specialises in French sweet crepes and savoury galettes, turning out 20,000 a year at her compact servery in West End Arcade which has seating for just 18 people, inside and out.

Using a secret batter recipe Meg cooks on a cast iron hotplate, which makes the French crepe lighter and crispier than a traditional British pancake and its thick spongy American cousin.

As for toppings, the world’s your oyster.

“We have recently started making our own salted caramel sauce which is proving very very popular,” says Meg.

“And we do a lovely one with caramelised apples, cinnamon, creme fraiche and honey.

“My motto is keep it simple and do it well. It’s a simple concept yet so versatile. You can adapt your fillings and have fun and visually they are appealing as well.

“For people making them at home it’s a relatively cheap way of producing something quite exciting – not just a sandwich,” says Meg, who has run the business since 2009 and, as always is expecting a rush on Shrove Tuesday.

Try it at home:

Caramelised apples, cinnamon, honey and creme fraiche.

Meg says: “‘This dish is a staple on our menu, it has a fantastic, almost comforting kind of quality.”

Ingredients per serving:

Half a Gala apple, cored and sliced thinly lengthways.

One dessert spoon of fine golden caster sugar

Half a teaspoon of cinnamon Knob of butter

75ml of hot water

Dessert spoon of creme fraiche Drizzle of honey

Method:

1. In a small saucepan heat the butter, cinnamon and sugar then add the apple slices.

2. Add the hot water and stir through to ensure all ingredients cook evenly.

3. Cook on a medium heat for 7-10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and the apples are caramelised and opaque in colour.

5. Top with creme fraiche and a slice of apple. Drizzle honey across to taste.

MAMMA White’s Pancake Parlour in Newark is gearing up for a mega pancake eating challenge for customers.

Twelve competitors will attempt to eat 30 American pancakes against the clock at the Stodman Street eaterie.

“The majority are regulars and it’s all men. Some of them are doing it for charity and are getting sponsorship,” says owner Rebecca White, who is staging the challenge at the request of customers.

“If people are prepared for it it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch.”

The Pancakeathon is ten times the size of the usual serving, consisting of three American pancakes. Contestants can choose syrup or cream toppings or eat them plain.

In a similar challenge at Newark College, the winning student managed to eat 15 full-sized pancakes in two minutes.

It will be the business’s first Pancake Day celebration since it had only just opened this time last year.

The competition starts at 7pm but earlier in the day there will be a pancake party for pre-school children, followed by a pancake buffet.

Mamma White’s has 20 different toppings. The favourites for sweet-toothed fans are banana and toffee or chocolate brownie and caramel sauce.

Crispy bacon and maple syrup are the most popular toppings for savoury pancakes. Customers can choose from a full English with sausage, bacon and egg or a veggie option with halloumi cheese and mango chutney.

There’s ten different pancakes to choose from too. As well as crepes and American pancakes, Mamma White’s will rustle up versions that are dairy-free and gluten-free, gingerbread, chocolate, buckwheat and a super protein one with sweet potato and banana.

Rebecca’s top tip for the perfect pancake? “If making crepes, let the batter sit for at least an hour before you cook it. It makes it stablise and they hold nicely.

“If it’s American pancakes you’re making, cook it straight away to make them light and fluffy.”

* There are still places available on the Pancakeathon and bookings are being taken for Pancake Day. Call 01636 704200 for details.

Try it at home:

Spinach, Mushroom, Goat’s Cheese and Pesto

“This is perfect for those looking for a savoury option on Pancake Day,” says Rebecca.

Method:

1. Make enough pancake batter for four 8in crepes and stir 1 teaspoon of green pesto into it. Cook and set aside.

2. Place a pancake on a baking sheet and lightly spread one half with more pesto. Add a handful of cooked mushrooms, a handful of raw spinach, 2 slices of goat’s cheese log and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Fold the other half over to enclose all the ingredients.

4. Repeat with the remaining 3 pancakes –you should be able to fit 2 on each baking tray.

5. Place in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 10 minutes until the pancake has crisped up and the goat’s cheese has melted.

THE Cornerhouse in Nottingham will be staging the annual Forman Street pancake race on Tuesday – while the Red Hot World Buffet will attempt to make the UK’s biggest pancake tower measuring over 29.5 inches tall.

Last December the Red Hot chefs created what is believed to be the country’s biggest Christmas cake.

Manager Luis Wilson-Wolfe, says: “To create the pancake pyramid we are going to need lots of eggs, milk, flour and butter and a very steady hand to build the stack.

“After the success of the giant Christmas cake we thought we would attempt another food challenge, so fingers crossed the tower doesn’t fall flat as a pancake.”

Teams of staff who work within the Cornerhouse will be competing in the pancake race at 10.30am, which will raise money for this year’s chosen charity, the MS Society.